Canon 650D vs Olympus E-M1

The Canon EOS 650D (called Canon T4i in some regions) and the Olympus OM-D E-M1 are two digital cameras that were officially introduced, respectively,
in June 2012 and September 2013. The 650D is a DSLR, while the E-M1 is a mirrorless interchangeable lens camera. The cameras are based on an APS-C (650D) and a Four Thirds (E-M1) sensor. The Canon has a resolution of 17.9 megapixels, whereas the Olympus provides 15.9 MP.

Below is an overview of the main specs of the two cameras as a starting point for the comparison.

Going beyond this snapshot of core features and characteristics, what are the differences between the Canon EOS 650D and the
Olympus OM-D E-M1? Which one should you buy? Read on to find out how these two cameras compare with respect to their body size, their imaging sensors,
their shooting features, their input-output connections, and their reception by expert reviewers.

Body comparison: Canon 650D vs Olympus E-M1

The physical size and weight of the Canon 650D and the Olympus E-M1 are illustrated in the side-by-side display below. The two cameras are presented according to their relative size. Three consecutive views from the front, the top, and the rear side are shown. All size dimensions are rounded to the nearest millimeter.

The E-M1 can be obtained in two different colors (black, silver), while the 650D is
only available in black.

If the front view area (width x height) of the cameras is taken as an aggregate measure of their size,
the Olympus E-M1 is notably smaller (8 percent) than the Canon 650D. Moreover, the E-M1 is markedly lighter (14 percent) than the 650D. It is noteworthy in this context that the E-M1 is splash and dust-proof, while the 650D does not feature any corresponding weather-sealing.

The above size and weight comparisons are to some extent incomplete since they do not consider the interchangeable lenses
that both of these cameras require. A larger imaging sensor will tend to go along with bigger and heavier lenses, although exceptions exist.
You can compare the optics available for the two cameras in the Canon EF Lens Catalog (650D) and the Micro Four Thirds Lens Catalog (E-M1). Mirrorless cameras, such as the E-M1, have moreover the advantage that they can use many lenses from other systems via adapters, as they have a relatively short flange to focal plane distance.

Concerning battery life, the 650D gets 440 shots out of its LP-E8 battery,
while the E-M1 can take 350 images on a single charge of its BLN-1 power pack.

The adjacent table lists the principal physical characteristics of the two cameras alongside a wider set of alternatives. In case you want to display and compare another camera duo, just click on the right or left
arrow next to the camera that you would like to inspect. Alternatively, you can also use the CAM-parator to
select your camera combination among a larger number of options.

Note: Measurements and pricing do not include easily detachable parts, such as interchangeable lenses or optional viewfinders.

Any camera decision will naturally be influenced heavily by the price. The retail prices at the time of the camera’s release place the model in the market relative to other models in the producer’s line-up and the competition. The 650D was launched at a markedly lower price (by 39 percent) than the E-M1, which puts it into a different market segment. Usually, retail prices stay at first close to the launch price, but after several months, discounts become available. Later in the product cycle and, in particular, when the replacement model is about to appear, further discounting and stock clearance sales often push the camera price considerably down.

Sensor comparison: Canon 650D vs Olympus E-M1

The size of the sensor inside a digital camera is one of the key determinants of image quality. All other things equal, a large sensor will have larger individual pixel-units that offer better low-light sensitivity, wider dynamic range, and richer color-depth than smaller pixels in a sensor of the same technological generation. Furthermore, a large sensor camera will give the photographer more possibilities to use shallow depth-of-field in order to isolate a subject from the background. On the downside, larger sensors are more costly to manufacture and tend to lead to bigger and heavier cameras and lenses.

Of the two cameras under consideration, the Canon 650D features an APS-C sensor and the Olympus E-M1
a Four Thirds sensor. The sensor area in the E-M1 is 32 percent smaller. As a result of these sensor size differences, the cameras have a format factor of, respectively, 1.6 and 2.0. The sensor in the 650D has a native 3:2 aspect ratio, while the one in the E-M1 offers a 4:3 aspect.

Technology-wise, both cameras are equipped with CMOS (Complementary Metal–Oxide–Semiconductor) sensors.

With 17.9MP, the 650D offers a higher
resolution than the E-M1 (15.9MP), but the 650D nevertheless has larger individual pixels (pixel pitch of
4.31μm versus 3.76μm for the E-M1) due to its larger sensor. However, the E-M1 is a somewhat more recent model (by 1 year and 3 months) than the 650D, and its sensor
might have benefitted from technological advances during this time that enhance the light gathering capacity of its pixels. Coming back to sensor resolution, it should be mentioned that the E-M1 has no anti-alias filter installed, so that it can capture all the detail its sensor resolves.

The Canon EOS 650D has a native sensitivity range from ISO 100 to ISO 12800, which can be extended to ISO 100-25600.
The corresponding ISO settings for the Olympus OM-D E-M1 are ISO 100 to ISO 25600 (no boost).

For many cameras, data on sensor performance has been reported by DXO Mark. This service is based on lab testing and assigns an overall score to each camera sensor, as well as ratings for dynamic range ("DXO Landscape"), color depth ("DXO Portrait"), and low-light sensitivity ("DXO Sports"). Of the two cameras under consideration, the E-M1 offers substantially better image quality than the 650D (overall score 11 points higher). The advantage is based on 1.3 bits higher color depth, 1.5 EV in additional dynamic range, and 0.1 stops in additional low light sensitivity. The adjacent table reports on the physical sensor characteristics and the outcomes of the DXO sensor quality tests for a sample of comparator-cameras.

Sensor Characteristics

Camera Model

Sensor Class

Resolution (MP)

Horiz. Pixels

Vert. Pixels

Video Format

DXO Portrait

DXO Landscape

DXO Sports

DXO Overall

Camera Model

Canon 650D»

APS-C

17.9

5184

3456

1080/30p

21.7

11.2

722

62

Canon 650D

Olympus E-M1«

Four Thirds

15.9

4608

3456

1080/30p

23.0

12.7

757

73

Olympus E-M1

Canon 750D«»

APS-C

24.0

6000

4000

1080/60p

22.7

12.0

919

71

Canon 750D

Canon 760D«»

APS-C

24.0

6000

4000

1080/30p

22.6

12.0

915

70

Canon 760D

Canon 1200D«»

APS-C

17.9

5184

3456

1080/30p

21.9

11.3

724

63

Canon 1200D

Canon 100D«»

APS-C

17.9

5184

3456

1080/30p

21.8

11.3

843

63

Canon 100D

Canon 700D«»

APS-C

17.9

5184

3456

1080/30p

21.7

11.2

681

61

Canon 700D

Canon G1 X«»

1.5-inch

14.2

4352

3264

1080/24p

21.7

10.8

644

60

Canon G1 X

Canon 600D«»

APS-C

17.9

5184

3456

1080/30p

22.1

11.5

793

65

Canon 600D

Canon 1100D«»

APS-C

12.2

4272

2848

720/30p

21.9

11.0

755

62

Canon 1100D

Canon 550D«»

APS-C

17.9

5184

3456

1080/30p

22.1

11.5

784

66

Canon 550D

Canon 500D«»

APS-C

15.1

4752

3168

1080/20p

21.7

11.5

663

63

Canon 500D

Olympus E-M1 II«»

Four Thirds

20.2

5184

3888

4K/30p

23.7

12.8

1312

80

Olympus E-M1 II

Olympus PEN-F«»

Four Thirds

20.2

5184

3888

1080/60p

23.1

12.4

894

74

Olympus PEN-F

Olympus E-M5 II«»

Four Thirds

15.9

4608

3456

1080/60p

23.0

12.5

842

73

Olympus E-M5 II

Olympus E-P5«»

Four Thirds

15.9

4608

3456

1080/30p

22.8

12.4

895

72

Olympus E-P5

Olympus E-M5«»

Four Thirds

15.9

4608

3456

1080/60i

22.8

12.3

826

71

Olympus E-M5

Many modern cameras are not only capable of taking still images, but also of capturing video footage. Both cameras under consideration have a sensor with sufficiently fast read-out times for moving pictures, and both provide the same movie specifications (1080/30p).

Feature comparison: Canon 650D vs Olympus E-M1

Beyond body and sensor, cameras can and do differ across a range of features. For example, the E-M1 has an electronic viewfinder (2360k dots), while the 650D has an optical one.
Both systems have their advantages, with the electronic viewfinder making it possible to project supplementary shooting information
into the framing view, whereas the optical viewfinder offers lag-free viewing and a very clear framing image. The viewfinder in the E-M1 offers a wider field of view (100%) than the one in the
650D (95%), so that a larger proportion of the captured image is visible in the finder. In addition,
the viewfinder of the E-M1 has a higher magnification (0.74x vs 0.53x),
so that the size of the image transmitted appears closer to the size seen with the naked human eye. The adjacent table lists some of the other core features of the Canon 650D and Olympus E-M1 along with similar information for a selection of comparators.

Core Features

Camera Model

Viewfinder (Type or '000 dots)

Control Panel (yes/no)

LCD Size (inch)

LCD Resolution ('000 dots)

LCD Attach- ment

Touch Screen (yes/no)

Mech Shutter Speed

Shutter Flaps (1/sec)

Built-in Flash (yes/no)

Built-in Image Stab

Camera Model

Canon 650D»

optical

n

3.0

1040

swivel

Y

1/4000s

5.0

Y

n

Canon 650D

Olympus E-M1«

2360

n

3.0

1037

tilting

Y

1/8000s

10.0

n

Y

Olympus E-M1

Canon 750D«»

optical

n

3.0

1040

swivel

Y

1/4000s

5.0

Y

n

Canon 750D

Canon 760D«»

optical

Y

3.0

1040

swivel

Y

1/4000s

5.0

Y

n

Canon 760D

Canon 1200D«»

optical

n

3.0

460

fixed

n

1/4000s

3.0

Y

n

Canon 1200D

Canon 100D«»

optical

n

3.0

1040

fixed

Y

1/4000s

4.9

Y

n

Canon 100D

Canon 700D«»

optical

n

3.0

1040

swivel

Y

1/4000s

5.0

Y

n

Canon 700D

Canon G1 X«»

optical

n

3.0

922

Swivel

n

1/4000s

1.9

Y

Y

Canon G1 X

Canon 600D«»

optical

n

3.0

1040

swivel

n

1/4000s

3.7

Y

n

Canon 600D

Canon 1100D«»

optical

n

2.7

230

fixed

n

1/4000s

3.0

Y

n

Canon 1100D

Canon 550D«»

optical

n

3.0

1040

fixed

n

1/4000s

3.7

Y

n

Canon 550D

Canon 500D«»

optical

n

3.0

920

fixed

n

1/4000s

3.4

Y

n

Canon 500D

Olympus E-M1 II«»

2360

n

3.0

1037

swivel

Y

1/8000s

18.0

n

Y

Olympus E-M1 II

Olympus PEN-F«»

2360

n

3.0

1037

swivel

Y

1/8000s

10.0

n

Y

Olympus PEN-F

Olympus E-M5 II«»

2360

n

3.0

1037

swivel

Y

1/8000s

10.0

n

Y

Olympus E-M5 II

Olympus E-P5«»

-

n

3.0

1037

tilting

Y

1/8000s

9.0

Y

Y

Olympus E-P5

Olympus E-M5«»

1440

n

3.0

610

tilting

Y

1/4000s

9.0

n

Y

Olympus E-M5

One difference between the cameras concerns the presence of an on-board flash. The 650D has one, while the E-M1 does not.
While the built-in flash of the 650D is not very powerful, it can at times be useful as a fill-in light.

The 650D has an articulated LCD that can be turned to be front-facing. This characteristic will be appreciated by
vloggers and photographers who are interested in snapping selfies. In contrast, the E-M1 does not have a selfie-screen.

The Olympus E-M1 has an intervalometer built-in. This enables the photographer to
capture time lapse sequences, such as flower blooming, a sunset or moon rise, without purchasing an external camera trigger and related software.

Concerning the storage of imaging data, both the 650D and the E-M1 write their files to SDXC cards. Both cameras can use UHS-I cards, which provide for Ultra High Speed data transfer of up to 104 MB/s.

Connectivity comparison: Canon 650D vs Olympus E-M1

For some imaging applications, the extent to which a camera can communicate with its environment can be an important aspect in the camera decision process. The table below provides an overview of the connectivity of the Canon EOS 650D and Olympus OM-D E-M1 and, in particular, the interfaces the cameras (and selected comparators) provide for accessory control and data transfer.

Input-Output Connections

Camera Model

Hotshoe Port

Internal Microphone

Internal Speaker

Microphone Port

Headphone Port

HDMI Port

USB Type

WiFi Support

NFC Support

Bluetooth Support

Camera Model

Canon 650D»

Y

stereo

mono

Y

-

mini

2.0

-

-

-

Canon 650D

Olympus E-M1«

Y

stereo

mono

Y

-

micro

2.0

Y

-

-

Olympus E-M1

Canon 750D«»

Y

stereo

mono

Y

-

mini

2.0

Y

Y

-

Canon 750D

Canon 760D«»

Y

stereo

mono

Y

-

mini

2.0

Y

Y

-

Canon 760D

Canon 1200D«»

Y

mono

mono

-

-

mini

2.0

-

-

-

Canon 1200D

Canon 100D«»

Y

mono

mono

Y

-

mini

2.0

-

-

-

Canon 100D

Canon 700D«»

Y

stereo

mono

Y

-

mini

2.0

-

-

-

Canon 700D

Canon G1 X«»

Y

stereo

mono

-

-

mini

2.0

-

-

-

Canon G1 X

Canon 600D«»

Y

mono

mono

Y

-

mini

2.0

-

-

-

Canon 600D

Canon 1100D«»

Y

stereo

mono

-

-

mini

2.0

-

-

-

Canon 1100D

Canon 550D«»

Y

stereo

-

Y

-

mini

2.0

-

-

-

Canon 550D

Canon 500D«»

Y

mono

mono

-

-

mini

2.0

-

-

-

Canon 500D

Olympus E-M1 II«»

Y

stereo

mono

Y

Y

micro

3.0

Y

-

-

Olympus E-M1 II

Olympus PEN-F«»

Y

stereo

mono

-

-

micro

2.0

Y

-

-

Olympus PEN-F

Olympus E-M5 II«»

Y

stereo

mono

Y

-

micro

2.0

Y

-

-

Olympus E-M5 II

Olympus E-P5«»

Y

stereo

mono

-

-

micro

2.0

Y

-

-

Olympus E-P5

Olympus E-M5«»

Y

stereo

mono

-

-

mini

2.0

-

-

-

Olympus E-M5

It is notable that the E-M1 offers wifi support, which can be a very convenient means to transfer image data
to an off-camera location. In contrast, the 650D does not offer wifi capability.

Studio photographers will appreciate that the Olympus E-M1 (unlike the 650D) features a PC Sync socket, so that professional strobe lights
can be controlled by the camera.

Both the 650D and the E-M1 have been discontinued, but can regularly be found used
on eBay. The 650D was replaced by the Canon 700D, while the E-M1 was followed by the Olympus E-M1 II. Further information on the two cameras (e.g. user guides, manuals), as well as related accessories, can be found on the official
Canon and Olympus websites.

Review summary: Canon 650D vs Olympus E-M1

So how do things add up? Which of the two cameras – the Canon 650D or the Olympus E-M1 – has the upper hand? Is one clearly better than the other? Below is a summary of the relative strengths of each of the two contestants.

Less heavy: Has a lower weight (by 78g or 14 percent) and is thus easier to take along.

Better sealing: Is splash and dust sealed for shooting in inclement weather conditions.

Sharper images: Has stabilization technology built-in to reduce the impact of hand-shake.

More legacy lens friendly: Can use many non-native lenses via adapters.

Easier file upload: Has wifi built in for automatic backup or image transfer to the web.

Better studio light control: Has a PC Sync socket to connect to professional strobe lights.

More modern: Was introduced somewhat (1 year and 3 months) more recently.

If the number of relative strengths (bullet points above) is taken as a guide, the E-M1 is the clear winner of the contest (17 : 9 points). However, the relative importance of the various individual camera aspects will vary according to personal preferences and needs, so that you might like to apply corresponding weights to the particular features before making a decision on a new camera. A professional sports photographer will view the differences between cameras in a way that diverges
from the perspective of a street photog, and a person interested in family portraits has distinct needs from a landscape shooter. Hence, the decision which camera
is best and worth buying is often a very personal one.

In any case, while the comparison of the spec-sheets of cameras can offer a general idea of their imaging potential, it remains incomplete and does no justice, for example, to the way the 650D or the E-M1 perform in practice. At times, user reviews, such as those published at amazon, address these issues in a useful manner, but such feedback is on many occasions incomplete, inconsistent, and unreliable.

Expert reviews: Canon 650D vs Olympus E-M1

This is where reviews by experts come in. The table below provides a synthesis of the camera assessments of some of the best known photo-gear review sites (cameralabs, dpreview, ephotozine, imaging-resource, and photographyblog). As can be seen, the professional reviewers agree in many cases on the quality of different cameras, but sometimes their assessments diverge,
reinforcing the earlier point that a camera decision is often a very personal choice.

Care should be taken when interpreting the review scores above, though. The assessments were made in relation to similar cameras of the same technological generation. A score, therefore, has to be seen in close connection to the price and market introduction time of the camera, and rating-comparisons among cameras that span long time periods or concern very differently equipped models make little sense. Also, kindly note that some of the listed sites have over time developped their review approaches and their reporting style.

Other camera comparisons

Did this review help to inform your camera decision process? In case you are interested in seeing how other cameras pair up, just make a corresponding selection in the search boxes below. There is also a set of direct links to comparison reviews that other users of the CAM-parator app explored.